Beer measure and register.



PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907. W. EMINER. BEER MEASURE AND REGISTER.

APPLIOATION IILEDIEB. 17, 1906.

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APPLIOAIION FILED FEB. 17,1906.

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W. H. MINER. BEER MEASURE AND REGISTER.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB.17,19Q8.

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PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

WLH. MINER. BEER MEASURE AND REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17,1906.

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, 'INVENTOR I M11187?! 7:. #1122911 No.843 957. PATENTED FEB.12,190'7. W. 'H. MINER.

BEER MEASURE AND REGISTER.

APPLICATION PILED'FEB. 17,1906.

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WVILLIAM H. MINER, OF T OMAH, I

SOONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRED C. WVARREN, OF VALLEY JUNCTION, WVISOONSIN.

BEER MEASURE AND REGdSTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed February 1'7, 1906. Serial No. 301,687.

To all whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM H. MINER, residing at T omah, in the county of Monroe and State of WVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beer Measure and Register, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatically-o1 erating devices for connection with the outlet of beer vats, tanks, and the like, whereby each measure of beer will be registered and the amount of beer sold will be always registered and capable of inspection by the operator.

In its generic nature my invention comprises a tank or receptacle having an inlet pipe adapted to be connected with the source of liquid-supply and an outlet pipe or cock from which the beer or other liquid is to be drawn and an air-pipe connection with the tank, the air-pipe, inlet, and the outlet pipes all being provided with suitable valve devices and means for automatically opening and closing said valve devices to withdraw the liquid from the tank when a sale is made and to permit the tank becoming filled again when the prior contents of the tank have been drawn off.

Again, the invention also includes means cooperating with the valve-operating devices for registering each movement of the operating devices to indicate the number of measures of liquid sold and at the same time indicate the cash value of the sales made up to the time the lastmeasure full of liquid was withdrawn.

Primarily my invention has for its object to provide a device of this character of a very simple construction, which can be easily and cheaply manufacture d, and which will readily and effectively serve its intended purposes.

In its more detailed nature my invention comprises a peculiar construction, combination, and correlative arrangement of parts, all of which will be first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the ap pended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my invention, the casing being shown in section and the parts being shown in the position they assume when the reservoir r receptacle is l l l l i filled with liquid. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the parts being shown in the position they assume when the contents of the reservoir are being withdrawn. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view tached parts. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the registering mechanism. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view hereinafter referred to.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 designates a suitable casing and supportingframework having a front doorway 1, provided with a transparent window 1 as shown, for a purpose presently explained. Mounted in a suitable cross-support 1 of the casing 1 is a tank or reservoir 3 of any dosiredcapacity, preferably of such a capacity as to contain theamount of fluid which it is desired to dispense in given quantities. For example, the reservoir 8 is made of a capacity to contain one glass of beer. At the top the reservoir 3 has an inlet-valve 4, which controls the flow of fluid into the reservoir 3, which fluid is admitted thereto through the pipe 5, that joins with the liquid-supply, such as the vat or keg. At its lower end the reservoir 3 has an outlet-faucet 6, which is conrolled by the valve 7 in a manner presently explained. The tank or reservoir 3 is also provided. with an air-pipe 8, controlled by the valve 9. Secured to the reservoir 3 is a bearing-plate 10, which receives one end of a short shaft 11, which shaft passes through the front wall 1 of the casing 1 and receives an operating-lever 12.

Mounted on the shaft 11, within the casing and connected thereto to turn therewith, is a segmental wheel 13, which comprises a spider-frame 13 and the flat rim portions 13 13, respectively, the portion 13 having its upper end 13 bent over to form a cam-face for the purpose presently explained. The wheel 13 also has a radial arm 13 which piv otally connects at 13 with an upwardly-projecting arm that has a longitudinal slot 1 1 to receive the stud or pin 15* of the bellcrank lever 15. The lever 15 is secured to the valve-stem 9 of the valve 9 by any suitable means and controls the said valve 9. Secured to the other end of the bell-crank leof the reservoir and its at is also secured to the casing-wall, as at 18, as

shown, the spring 18 serving to hold the lever 17 in its normal position, with the valve 4 open.

Mounted on a suitable supporting-bracket 19 is an arm 20, which carries an idler-roller 21 at its free end, as shown, which roller 21 is adapted to ride upon the rim portion 13' and the cam-face 13 thereof for a purpose presently explained.

The cam portion 13 of the wheel 13 is so arranged as to engage the lever 17 at times to close the valve 4, as will be presently explained.

The outlet-valve 7 of the faucet 6 has its stem 7 provided with a lever 22, having a heel 22, to which a coil-spring 23 is connected, and the spring 23 is also connected at 23 to the casing-wall, as shown, to normally hold the valve 7 closed. The operating-lever 22 of the valve 7 is adapted to be engaged by the peripheral rim 13 of the wheel 13 at times and in a manner presently explained.

To normally hold the wheel 13 in its normal position with the lever 12 against the stop 24 on the casing and as shown in Fig. 2, I provide a coil-spring 25, which is secured to a stud l3 of the wheel 13 and to the casing at 25 as shown.

26 designates a supplemental supportingframework in the casing 1 above the reservoir 3, which supplemental supportingframework includes the bearing members 26 26 which receive the shaft 27, upon which the number-wheels 28 29 30 are respectively mounted, and these numberwheels 28 29 30 each have bearing-wheels 28 29 30 respectively, which abut each other and space the wheels a certain distance apart. The wheels 28 29 30 are respectively provided with peripheral grooves 28 28 30 in which the holding-springs 28 29 30 are held, and these springs are secured to the casing by clips 28 29 30, as shown. Suitably secured to the framework 26 and the casing is a cross-bar 31, which carries a pair of half-circular pins 32 33, respectively, and these pins cooperate with the operating spring-arms 34 35, carried by the wheels 28 29, respectively, as shown in a manner pres- 'ently explained.

36 designates a second spring-arm secured to the hub 36 and having a pawl 36 at its free end to engage the ratchet-teeth 28 on the number-wheel 28, and the spring-arm 36 carries a pin 36 which is held between the slotted ends 37 of an operating-lever 38,

that is secured to turn with a rock-shaft 39, mounted in bearings 26 26 in the frame 26, suitable collars 39 39 being provided to hold the shaft 39 in position.

40 designates an arm on the shaft 39, to which a rod 41 is pivotally connected, as at 41 as shown, and the rod 41 extends downwardly and connects with the arm 20, as shown, the rod 41 extending on down toward the bottom of the casing and being provided with a hook or looped end 41 to which the coil-spring 42 is secured, and the spring 42 is in turn secured to the casing-wall at 42 as shown. 41 to its lowermost and normal position.

The number-wheel 29 is provided with ratchet-teeth 29 to be engaged by the pawl 34 of the spring-arm 34 at times to turn the wheel 29 one notch for every revolution of the wheel 28. Likewise the wheel 30 is provided with ratchet-teeth 30 to be engaged by the pawl 35 of the arm 35to turn the wheel-one notch for every complete revolution of the wheel 29 in the following manner, to wit: As the number-wheel 28 rotates a complete revolution the pawl 34* will engage the pin 32 and be forced against the teeth 29" of the wheel 29, and the next succeeding movement of the wheel 28 will move the wheel 29 one notch until the pawl 34 has cleared the pin 32. In a similar manner after the wheel 29 has completed one revolution the pawl 35 will engage the pin 33 and be forced into engagement with the teeth of the wheel 30 and move said wheel one notch until the pawl 35 has passed the pin 33. Thus the wheel 29 will move one notch at each revolution of the wheel 28, and the wheel 30 will move one notch at each revolution of the wheel 29 in a manner which will be clearly understood by reference to the drawings. 7

The wheels 28 29 are each covered with a suitable celluloid scale 45 46 47, respectively, the scale 45 having indications thereon in numbers running from 1 to 19 and in prices running from five cents to ninety-five cents, as shown, while the scale 46 has numbers running from .20 to 380 and from one dollar to nineteen dollars, while the scale 47 has numbers running from 400 to 7,600 and prices running from twenty dol lars to three hundred and eighty dollars, as diagrammatically shown on the scales in Fig. 8.

So far as described, the manner in which my invention operates will be best described as follows: Assume the registering mechanism to be set at zero and the parts in their normal position, the operator moves the lever 12 from left to right to the position shown in Fig. 3. As he does this the wheel 21 will ride on the cam portion 13 toward and onto the rim portion 13 of the wheel 13, thereby raising the rod 41, rocking the shaft 39, and

The spring 42 serves to hold the rod moving the wheel 28 one notch. As the movement of the lever 12 is continued from left to right the portion 13 of the wheel 13 will engage the lever 17, shut off the valve 4, while the radial arm 13 will simultaneously draw down the arm 14 until the pin 15 reaches the upper end of the slot 14 when the lever 15 will be moved to open the airvalve 9. Just prior to the opening of the airvalve 9 the valve 4 will have been closed, and just prior to the air-valve 9 being opened the rim portion 13 of the wheel 13 will engage the lever 22 of the outlet-valve 7 to open the valve 7 and permit the contents of the reservoir 3 flowing out thereof, and as the contents of the reservoir 3 flows out air will be admitted thereto through the air-pipe 8, as clearly understood by reference to the drawings. The operator holds the lever over in the position shown in Fig. 3 until the glass has he come filled, after which he releases the lever 12 and the spring devices 16, 18, 45, 42, and 23 return the parts to their normal position. The same operation continues for each glass of liquid to be drawn. As the parts are returned to their normal positions the valve 9 will be closed. Then the valve 7 will be closed,

and then the valve 4 will be open to permit the reservoir 3 being refilled from the source of liquid-supply. As soon as the registeringwheel 28 has made a complete revolution the wheel 29 will be moved one notch, and as soon 'as it (the wheel 29) has been moved a complete revolution the wheel 30 will be moved one notch.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a very simple and effective construction of registering and dis pensing mechanism, which is so arranged as to be automatic in its operation and positively and accurately register all sales, as well as indicating the number of sales made. The air-pipe 8 in practice may be connected to the air-tank or to a source of carbonated gas-supply, so that air can be supplied to the reservoir as the liquid is being withdrawn therefrom and so that the air will be shut off when the reservoir is being refilled, thus preventing waste of air, while perniitting use of air at all times in either one part or the other as the machine needs it. By this arrangement the beer will be always fresh and foam just the same as it does when drawn in the usual manner. In practice, again, myappa ratus can be placed within the usual ice-box, or it may be placed. on the outside of the main tank containing the liquid, if desired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the complete operation, construction, and many advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertain s, and I desire to say that many slight change in the detailed construction, operation, and

l l i l l l l l l i l l l l l i l l l i i l l l design of parts may be made without departiiig from the invention or the scope of the ap pended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a receptacle, a valved inlet-pipe therefor, a valved outlet-pipe therefor and a valved air-inlet pipe for said receptacle, a controlling mechanism for all of said valves, said controlling mechanism arranged to normally hold the inlet-valve open, the outletvalve closed and the air-valve closed and when moved out of its normal position to first close the inlet-valve, then open the outletvalve and then open the air-valve, substantially as shown and described.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a receptacle, a valved inlet-pipe therefor, a valved outlet-pipe therefor and a valved airinlet pipe for said receptacle, a controlling mechanism for all of said valves, said controlling mechanism arranged to normally hold the inlet-valve open, the outletvalve closed and the air-valve closed and when moved out of its normal position to first close the inlet-valve, then open the outletvalve and then open the air-valve, and a registering mechanism cooperatively connected with said valve-coi1trolling mechanism, substantially as shown and described.

3. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a receptacle, a valved inlet-pipe therefor, a valved outlet-pipe therefor and a valved air-inlet pipe for said receptacle, a controlling mechanism for all of said valves, said controlling mechanism arranged to normally hold the inlet-valve open, the outletvalve closed and the air-valve closed and when moved out of its normal position to first close the inlet-valve, then open the outletvalve and then open the air-valve, and means for returning the said valve-controlling mechanism and said valve to their normal position.

a. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a receptacle, a valved inlet-pipe theref valved outlet-pipe therefor and a valved air-inlet pipe for said receptacle, a controlling mechanism for all of said valves, said controlling mechanism arranged to normally held the inlet-valve open, the outletvalve closed and the air-inlet valve closed and when moved out of its normal position to first close the inlet-valve, then open the outlet-valve and then open the air-valve, a registering mechanism connected with said valve-controlling mechanism, and means for returning said alve-controlling mechanism to its normal position substantially as shown and described. a

5. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a reservoir adapted to receive a given quantity of liquid, a feed-pipe connecting said reservoir with the source-of liquidsupply, an inlet-valve in said feed-pipe, said inlet-valve having a control-lever, means for normally holding said inlet-valve open, an outlet-faucet for said reservoir, an outletvalve for controlling said outlet-faucet, said outlet valve having an operating lever, means for normally holding said outlet-valve closed, a valve-operating mechanism comprising a segmental wheel, a handle for turning said wheel, said wheel being arranged to first close the inlet-valve and then open the outlet-valve, substantially as shown and described.

6. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a reservoir adapted to receive a given quantity of liquid, a feed-pipe connecting said reservoir with the source of liquid-supply, an inletvalve in said feed-pipe, said inlet valve having a control lever, means for normally holding said inlet-valve open, an outlet-faucet for said reservoir, an outlet-valve for controlling said outlet-faucet, said outlet-valve having an operating-lever, means for normally holding said outlet-valve closed, a valve-operating mechanism comprising a segmental wheel, a handle for turning said wheel, said wheel being arranged to first close the inletvalve and then open the outletvalve, and means for normally holding said wheel in its non-valve-lever-engag ing position, substantially as shown and described.

7. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a reservoir adapted to receive a given quantity of liquid, a feed-pipe connect ing said reservoir with the source of liquidsupply, an inlet-valve in said feed-pipe, said inlet-valve having a control-lever, means for normally holding said inlet-valve open, an outlet-faucet for said reservoir, an outletvalve for controlling said outlet-faucet, said outlet-valve having an operating-lever, means for normally holding said. outlet-valve closed, avalve-operating mechanism comprising a segmental wheel, a handle for turning said wheel, said wheel being arranged to first close the inlet-valve and then open the outlet-valve, a valved air-supply for said reservoir, the air-supply valve having an operating-lever, means for normally holding said f comprising a reservoir adapted to receive a j given quantity of liquid, a feed-pipe connecting said reservoir with the source of liquidsupply, an inlet-valve in said feed-pipe, said 1 inlet-valve having a control-lever, means for normally holding said inlet-valve open, an outlet-faucet for said reservoir, an outletoutlet-valve having an operating-lever, means for normally holding said valve closed, a valve-operating mechanism comprising a segmental wheel, a handle for turning said wheel, said wheel being arranged to first close the inlet-valve and then open the outletvalve, and means for normally holding said wheel in its non-valve-lever-engaging posii tion, and a registering mechanism cooperal tively connected with the valve-controlling means for indicating the numb er of times the reservoir has been emptied and the value of f the material drawn therefrom.

10. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a reservoir adapted to receive a valve for controlling said outlet-faucet, said. I 5

given quantity of liquid, a feed-pipe connecting said reservoir with the source of liquidsupply, an inletvalve in said feed-pipe, said inlet-valve having a control-lever, means for normally holding said inlet-valve open, an outlet-faucet for said reservoir, an outletvalve for controlling said outlet-faucet, said outlet-valve having an operating-lever, means l for normally holding said outlet-valve closed,

a valve-operating mechanism comprising a segmental wheel, a handle for turning said wheel, said wheel being arranged to first close I the inlet-valve and then open the outletvalve, a valved air-supply for said reservoir, the air-supply valve having an operating-leair-supply valve closed, said valve-controll ver, means for normally holding said air-supling wheel having a radial arm, means coopl ply valve closed, said valve-controlling wheel eratively connected with said air-valve lever l having a radial arm, means cooperatively for operating the same, al'tertheinlet-valve i connecting said arm with sa1d a1rvalve lever has been closed, substantially as shown and for operating the same after the inlet-valve described. has been closed, and aregistering mechanism 8. An apparatus of the class described,

i cooperatively connected with the valve-concomprising a reservoir adapted to recelve a I trolling means for indicating the number of given quantity of liquid, a feed-pipe connecttimes the reservoir has been emptied and the ing said reservoir with the source of liquidvalue of the material drawn therefrom. supply, an inlet-valve in said feed-pipe, said 11. An apparatus of the class described, a inlet-valve having a control-lever, means for reservoir, an inlet-pipe connected thereto, an normally holding said inlet-valve open, an

inlet-valve in said inlet-pipe, a lever for opoutlet-faucet for said reservoir, an outleterating said inlet-valve, spring devices for normally holding said lever to hold the inletvalve open, an air-valve for said reservoir, a lever for said air-valve, spring devices for holding said lever in its normal position to hold the air-valve closed, an outlet-valve for said reservoir, a lever for controlling said outletvalve, spring devices for normally holding said outlet-valve closed, a rotary shaft mounted adjacent said reservoir, an operating-handle connected with said shaft to turn the same, a valve-controlling segmental wheel carried by said shaft adapted to first engage the inlet-valve to close the same, and then to engage the outlet-valve to open the same, said segmental wheel having a radial arm, a supplemental arm pivotally connected thereto and having a slotted end, said supplemental arm and said air-valve lever being cooperatively connected to said slotted end, and so arranged as to open the air-valve after the inlet-valve has been closed and as the outlet-valve is opened, spring devices for returning said wheel to its normal position, said wheel including a cam portion, a bracket, an arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, a friction-roller carried by said arm for engaging the cam portion of the wheel, a rod secured to said friction-roller to be moved thereby, a spring for normally holding said friction-roller in engagement with said wheel, a registering mechanism cooperativelyconnected with said rod for indicating the number of times the machine has been operated and the value of the material drawn from the reservoir substantially as shown and described.

12. An apparatus of the class described, a reservoir, an inlet-pipe connected thereto, an inlet-valve in said inlet-pipe, a lever for op erating said inlet-valve, spring devices for normally holding said lever to hold the inletvalve open, and air-valve for said reservoir, a lever for said air-valve, spring devices for holding said lever in its normal position to hold the air-valve closed, an outlet-valve for said reservoir, a lever for controlling said outlet-valve, spring devices for normally holding said outlet-valve closed, a rotary shaft mounted adjacent said reservoir, an operating-handle connected wth said shaft to turn the same, a valve-controlling segmental wheel carried by said shaft adapted to first engage the inlet-valve to close the same and then to engage the outlet-valve to open the same, said segmental wheel having a radial arm, a supplemental arm connected thereto and having a slotted end, said snpple mental arm and said air-valve lever being cooperatively connected to said slotted end, and so arranged as to open the air-valve after the inlet-valve has been closed and as the outlet-valve is opened, spring devices for returning said wheel to its normal position, substantially as shown and described.

13. An apparatus of the class described, a reservoir, an inlet-pipe connected thereto, an inlet-valve in said inlet-pipe, a lever for operating said inlet-valve, spring devices for normally holding said lever to hold the inletvalve open, an air-valve for said reservoir, a

lever for said air-valve, spring devices for holding said lever in its normal position to hold the air-valve closed, an outlet-valve for said reservoir, a lever for controlling said outlet-valve, spring devices for normally holding said valve closed, a rotary shaft mounted adjacent said reservoir, an operat ing-handle connected with said shaft to turn the same, a valve-controlling segmental wheel carried by said shaft adapted to first engage the inlet-valve to close the same, and then to engage the outlet-valve to open the same, said segmental wheel having a radial arm, a supplemental arm pivotally connected thereto and having a slotted end, said supplemental arm and said air-valve lever being cooperatively connected to said slotted end, and so arranged as to open the air-valve after the inlet-valve has been closed and as the outlet-valve is opened, spring devices for returning the wheel to its normal position, said wheel including a cam portion, a bracket, an arm pivotally mounted on said bracket, a friction-roller carried by said arm for engaging the cam portion of the wheel, a rod secured to said friction-roller to be moved thereby, a spring for normally holding said rod and said friction-roller in engagement with said wheel, and a registering 1nechani ism cooperatively connected with said rod. WILLIAM H. MINER. l l

Witnesses:

W. H. PRICE, ETHEL J. SPRINGER. 

